


I Heard a Rumor That We Could Be Wonderful (I Believe It's True)

by sarcastic_fina



Category: Glee
Genre: Episode Re-Write, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-04
Updated: 2011-05-04
Packaged: 2017-11-07 06:26:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/427942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcastic_fina/pseuds/sarcastic_fina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An in-depth EvanBerry twist on the episode Rumours.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Heard a Rumor That We Could Be Wonderful (I Believe It's True)

Rachel Berry, ever the planner, had spent a significant amount of time drafting her attack…

Okay, perhaps  _attack_ was more negative a word than she meant. Organizing her…  _coup_.

It was unexpected, it was exciting, it was  _just_ what she needed.

See, prom was just two weeks away. Fifteen days to be exact. And  _she_ didn't have a date. There were options, of course. Like… For instance… Jacob ben Israel had asked her… Numerous times. But Rachel was certain she could find someone less… repulsive. Somebody with manners and musical taste. Somebody who could appreciate her flair for the dramatic and not act as though it were a  _task_ being in her presence. Somebody who was nice and funny and who she was sure she could have a good time with. Her pickings were slim; she had already decided it would have to be somebody in the glee club. Mostly because the outside student body had taken an unnecessary and unfounded dislike toward her. But though there were six boys to choose from, five of them were in serious relationships, one of which was with another boy. Puck, though it was still surprising who he chose to be his other half, was invested in his relationship with Lauren. Mike was happily Asian with Tina. Artie, despite the fact that his girlfriend was bi-curious, was staying true toBrittany. Kurt was devoted toBlaine. And lastly, Finn, for whatever reason, was engaged in a foolhardy second chance with Quinn.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, left one last boy.

Sam Evans.

Now, Rachel knew that she and Sam had little in way of history together. While, yes, they might share some mutual heartache over the relationship developed between their exes, especially since it had come to fruition while Sam was still Quinn's boyfriend, Rachel and Sam hadn't spent much time getting to know one another. Most of what she knew about him was from observation or idle conversation shared between Quinn and whomever else was in the ladies washroom where, unbeknownst to them, Rachel could often be found crouched in the bathroom stalls listening in. So she knew the basics; that Sam enjoyed Avatar, comic books, suffered Dyslexia, was quick to fall in love, appreciated Justin Bieber's music, and was not a fan of slushees, be he drinking or wearing them.

She also knew that he was a gentleman; that despite the pressures of high school and Quinn's (late, but present) chastity belt, he didn't succumb to outside forms of entertainment, never cheating on his girlfriend or casting a wayward glance at other girls. He was the monogamous type who wanted the right girl and who would treat her like gold when he found her. And that was  _just_ what Rachel needed in her life.

Some may wonder exactly when it was that she had put her affections for Finn aside and she couldn't honestly say when that exact moment happened. In fact, there was a good chance that she hadn't. She was sure that she would always harbor _some_ illusion of romance toward Finn, he was her first love after all, but even she knew that it was time to accept reality and look to the future with new resolve. And her interest had taken a turn toward a blond footballer whom she believed could be a fantastic counterpart to her admittedly high maintenance personality.

Now… All she had to do was find a great opener.

Which led to a drive to a late night pharmacy. What better way to connect to someone than through appreciation for something they might otherwise feel uncomfortable about?

Truly, she was a  _genius_.

…

The following day, Rachel approached Sam with high hopes and excitement welling inside. "Hey…"

He turned, stared at her warily, and closed his locker. "Why are you talking to me?" he wondered suspiciously.

She smiled brightly. "Can't I just say hello?"

"I guess… I just…" His eyes darted away and then back to her. "Santana told me never to speak alone with you because you'd try to steal all of my _gold_."

Her head reared back a little in surprise. "Okay, umm…" Her brows furrowed. How was one supposed to reply to that without putting down her hopefully soon-to-be suitor's ex-girlfriend? She blinked a few times and blew out a breath before deciding to ignore it entirely. " _Anyway_ , I got you this." She held out the pack of three cherry ChapStick with both hands. "I know everybody's always making fun of your lips, but I think they're cute and  _worth_ weatherproofing." She grinned up at him, pointing to the package to prove her point as he accepted it.

He stared back at her, his eyes slightly wide, and his lips parted, just on the verge of smiling.

She took that as a good sign and decided to charge forward with her plan. "So… Considering that we're both  _single_ and I think your lips are  _cute_ …" She inhaled sharply, peering up at him with big, brown eyes. "I was wondering if you would… go to prom with me…" She lifted her shoulders a little, a fluttering of nerves filling her stomach. She smiled brightly, hoping to cover them.

"As in your date?" His brows rose.

"Yeah!" she told him enthusiastically.

"No," he said quickly.

"No," she repeated, her face falling. "N-No—" Her brows knotted in confusion. "No as in…?"

He swung his shoulder back in a half-hearted shrug. "As in no prom," he explained.

"Oh," she squeaked.

"I don't think I'm going." He looked away, staring hard at the floor and pursing his lips.

She frowned. "Are you worried Finn will be jealous?"

" _Look_ , you're just…" He looked away and then finished, "not my type."

Rachel stared up at him, unexpectedly hurt.

"Okay Rachel, so…" He looked down at the pack in his hand and said, "Thanks for the lip chap," before turning around and leaving.

She stared after him, shoulders slumped. She was surprised by the fact that it wasn't just her ego that hurt, but her  _feelings_. Sure, she and Sam hadn't had a whole lot of exposure to one another in a friendly or intimate setting, but she had been  _sure_  that he would say yes. If not because she was at the very least someone to have on his arm, especially after being cheated on by Quinn and, well, she wasn't sure how his relationship with Santana ended but she was certain it hadn't been pretty. But there was also the fact that Sam seemed  _nice_ ; almost naively so. And she had justified her idea of asking him out, when she clearly would have appreciated a boy gallantly asking her instead, that it would be likely he'd say yes and even be enthusiastic about attending with her. It seemed it was just the opposite and not for the first time, Rachel wondered if  _she_ wasn't his type, then what was it that Quinn or Santana offered that made them better than her, or more  _fit_ for him?

Her eyes darted around the hall then, wondering if anybody had bore witness to her crushing rejection, and deciding not to linger long in front of his locker for somebody to notice, she turned and fled. She would just have to get through this, like everything else. A back-up plan would be hatched. She would either convince Sam that she  _was_ his type, or more likely that his type needed changing, or she would have to find another date…

…

It was as the day came to an end that the school newspaper provided the idea she needed, and possibly a good dose of scorn to shuttle her forward in the desire she'd wanted  _before_  Sam Evans had even become a blip on her radar. The Muckraker's Blind Items column was quick to gossip that Sam and Quinn had reunited via a seedy motel. At first… there was flare of immediate irritation.  _Of course!_ Of  _course_ Quinn would want and get Sam back in the same breath that Rachel had realized who the best boy in the glee club would be for her to take as a prom date. Even without realizing it, the blonde beauty queen was ruining any chance Rachel had of either moving on or being happy!

Approaching Finn with an idea for a duet was just the beginning. If she couldn't have Sam because of Quinn, then she'd get Finn back, and this provided just the opportunity needed. Yes, sure, she had been planning her prom dress around Sam's color tone and his attractively green eyes, but her residual feelings for Finn were still strong and, well, regardless of any excitement she might have felt about dating someone new, if even for one night, she belonged with Finn… Didn't she? It had been so long since she'd felt different on the subject that she convinced herself once more that it was exactly what she needed. And convincing Finn, who wasn't exactly the school's most avid reader, to recognize the gossip as something that could be true didn't take much.

While the hurt and anger on Finn's face should have made her feel bad, instead it made her feel righteous. Yes, it was vindictive of her. And yes, it was even a little thoughtless to tell him at school so he could once more barge into the choir room to confront the boy who had likely helped Finn's girlfriend cheat on him. Some part of her wanted to point out that at least this time Quinn wasn't wearing her adultery in the form of a pregnant belly like previously. But she kept quiet as Finn marched inside to call them out in front of anyone who would listen.

"You don't  _seriously_ believe this, do you?" Quinn questioned.

"Why wouldn't I? Why  _wouldn't_ I believe that he did the  _same_ thing that I did to him?" Finn wondered, glaring at Sam.

"Because it's  _gossip_ , Finn," she dismissed.

Rachel watched from halfway across the room, her arms crossed over her chest. She had thought about the circumstances before, of course. Of the demise of Quinn and Sam's relationship and the part Finn played in it, but she had always been more distracted by the fact that Finn could so easily take Quinn back into his good graces. If she were being honest though, what Finn did hadn't been surprising. After all, he had cheated on Quinn with her the year before, even if it were a few seemingly innocent kisses. There were emotions attached and declarations made and hopes exchanged. It was Sam who had suffered from Finn's actions this time, however. And what retribution he might take to get back at Finn might actually be…  _justified_ in some twisted way. All Rachel knew was that Quinn was stuck between two boys, again, and they were both boys that Rachel had wanted. Sam, for a fleeting moment, until he'd unceremoniously rejected her offer of a date, and Finn for… Well, she imagined she'd always wanted Finn. Even when she had him there were times when she felt like he was out of reach and she had to grab him and lead him back into her heart. For a brief second she wondered if that was right or healthy, but then Santana came stomping into the room to berateBrittany for her insensitive way of outing her best friend, and possible lover, on her internet show.

"I swear I'm going to punch your face off!" Finn suddenly shouted, reaching out to shove Sam back.

"Hey!" Sam was quick to retaliate, pushing Finn away from him. "You have a lot of nerve accusing me of cheating when you're the one who snuck in and stole my girl!"

Quinn got in the middle, leaning against Finn to move him away. "Stop it!"

"Hey!" Mr. Shuester yelled, holding his arms out to keep them apart.

Finn blew out an exasperated breath, turned and rushed past them.

"Finn, where are you going? We've got rehearsal!"

"Not today!"

Rachel watched him stalk out of the room, her mouth ajar. When she turned back, Sam and Quinn exchanged a look, him apologetic while she was just irritated. And Rachel wondered what was really going on, if anything. Because even if she helped stoke the fire, she knew that The Muckraker wasn't the most reliable of sources. Taking a deep breath, she told herself that this was what had to happen. She would just have to see how it all played out and accept the consequences.

…

After homework and creating a MySpace video, Rachel sang her scales and prepared for bed. But when she rested her head against her pillow that night, her mind was a jumble. The day had begun smoothly enough; she had been sure that she'd have a sweet and handsome date secured for junior prom. Instead, she had caused a riff between a couple that she had previously decided to leave alone and she found herself hurt by a boy she hadn't realized she had any real romantic interest in. Was it her pride that ached or something more? She couldn't know him well enough for it be her heart that hurt. But to know how easily he could say no to her, without even giving her a chance to suggest a few dates for them to better get acquainted…

Was that what she wanted though? She asked herself.

Did she want to become intimately entangled with yet  _another_ of Quinn's former or current lovers? It felt like a repetitive streak of hers. To fall for those who already had their emotions set on another. Even Noah, during their brief five-day relationship, couldn't help his eyes from wandering to her. Yes, he'd stayed true to her physically, but his heart was with Quinn. Or perhaps the baby. Either way, his ties to her were too strong for Rachel to break. Admittedly, she wasn't sure she even tried, seeing as her own heart was turned toward Finn. But even  _he_  couldn't say he didn't still feel something for Quinn. He'd plainly  _admitted_ that he would always feel something for her, whether he was committed to Rachel or not. And she'd accepted that then, because at least she  _had_ him. But now, she had to wonder, did she ever really have Finn  _fully?_ Or was she just a stop along the way, just a girl he dated on his journey back to Quinn?

What did that make Sam then? Just a boy. A boy Quinn dated and who loved her, but wasn't enough for her to give up on her chance with Finn?

And what could that make him to Rachel? If anything…

She rolled onto her side and stared disgruntled into the darkness of her bedroom. Why did high school relationships have to be so  _hard?_

…

Rachel was sure that she would be confronted. What other mastermind could be behind the falling apart of Quinn and Finn than she? But she was surprised that it was Puck and not any of the main three. He stopped her on her way into the choir room for their glee practice. She was usually the first to sit down, eager to begin, but when Puck stepped in front of her, she knew it was important. He waited until the rest of the gleeks filed inside before he started.

He frowned at her, and not for the first time she recognized that Noah Puckerman was growing up. Where previously he might have congratulated her on her manipulations, today he looked like he was disappointed in the part she played.

Sighing, she half-rolled her eyes. "Don't judge me."

He let out a smirk. "You're getting in the middle of shit you should just stay out of."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't know  _what_ you're referring to…"

He cocked a brow. "Finn doesn't read The Muckraker…" He pursed his lips. "Finn doesn't  _read_ …"

She shrugged her shoulders, her eyes wide and innocent. "I'm sure he could've overheard any number of people discussing what happened in the paper and took an interest in it seeing as how obvious it was that it affected him."

"Rachel…" he said, his voice low and chastising. "What's in it for you?" He shook his head. "You really want Finn back  _that_ bad?"

She licked her lips and looked away. "I just…" She stomped her foot a little. "What makes her so special?" She stared up at him, her brows furrowed. "There was you and Finn and now  _Sam_ and I—"

"Wait, hold up," he interrupted, his brows knotted. "Since when do you like Evans?"

His growl made her smile slightly. As devoted as he was to Lauren, and she didn't question that, she was warmed by the soft spot he nursed for her. "It's a recent development…" She shrugged a shoulder daintily. "I was thinking over the weekend that prom is approaching quickly and I'm, sadly, without a date…"

"'m takin' Lauren, but babe, you know I got an extra arm if you need it," he offered easily.

She grinned. "And I appreciate the gesture, Noah." She reached out to smooth his shirt over his broad shoulders, amused when he flexed his 'guns.' "But as much as I'm sure you would make a dapper date, I'd rather not be crushed by your… athletic and somewhat possessive girlfriend."

He smirked. "Yeah, she'd probably flatten you…  _and_ me…"

She chuckled softly. "In any case, I had thought that I had chosen the perfect date… in Sam…" She drew back, frowning. "But apparently I'm not his type… He told me earlier yesterday… and after I picked out such a  _thoughtful_ gift for him and everything."

"Not his  _type?_ " Puck frowned. "He see your legs?"

Her lips curled in amusement. "I'm afraid not every male that attends McKinley is as fascinated with my legs as you are, Noah."

"Their loss," he muttered dismissively.

"Agreed." She nodded. "So to make a long story short, I was feeling… rejected and a little hurt over Sam's decision and…" She sighed, shoulders slumping. "Well, I saw The Muckraker and I suppose I recognized an opportunity there…" She blinked up at him innocently. "I can't help if there was a clear sign there that led me to believe that bringing it to Finn's attention could be an opening in his dating schedule."

"Okay…" He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Two questions then…" He stared at her searchingly. "Are you doing this to get back at Quinn, to show her Finn's still yours? Or are you doing this because you wanted to go with Sam, he said no, and your only other option is getting Finn back? 'Cause if this is  _only_ for a date to prom… Or if it's just 'cause you're hurt that Sam said no and it looks like they both want Quinn, then… Cut your losses." He shrugged. "You went through this already, Rachel… And you got the raw end of the deal…" He shook his head. "S'not gonna be any different this time."

With his pearl of wisdom shared, Puck turned and walked into the choir room to take a seat before practice started.

Brows furrowed, she watched after him a long moment, rolling his questions over in her mind. Perhaps he was right. Perhaps her actions stemmed more from being rejected by the first boy she'd shown any interest in since Finn. But when she stepped inside and she saw Finn sitting with Quinn, quick to put their misunderstanding behind them, she felt a flare of irritation once more.  _How?_  How could he forgive her so easily with all that she'd done to hurt him when Rachel had been the best girlfriend possible and only made one, tiny mistake? She looked at Sam, to see if perhaps he too was annoyed by the Finn/Quinn reunion, sitting side by side. But his eyes darted away from her and she felt that hurt again, deep in her chest, and she wondered… What was his type that she was so unappealing? Biting her lip, she fled to the back, taking a seat to the right of Noah.

When the lesson began, her mind was quickly drawn away. When had April Rhodes returned? Regardless, her rendition of Dreams, originally by Fleetwood Mac, was surprisingly fluid. She decided to put aside the romantic confusion of late and become one with the music. If her eyes darted to a blond boy rocking to the song in the front row, she told herself it was because he was always so honest in his reaction to music he liked and not for any other reason. Not because she still thought his lips were cute and especially pink when he smiled. No. Not that at all.

…

Stakeout. If she were being honest, the idea came to her because of her friendship with Puck. His incessant desire to be a ninja, although humorous in many aspects – especially his ongoing argument with Mike that there  _were_ Jewish ninjas, they were just  _stealthier_ than Asians – had inspired a fantastic plan. Not only could she bring Finn along so he could gain proof of the Sam/Quinn reunion and thus return to being in love with  _Rachel_ , but she could also take this time to see Sam and his intentions toward Quinn and perhaps even find out how it was the other girl had gained his interest and adoration so deeply that even though she'd cheated on him with Finn he was still willing to be with her.

But, of course, it had more to do with regaining her former relationship with Finn than it did finding out anything about Sam… Even if the excitement welling in her stomach seemed to flare up more at the idea of seeing Sam than it was in sitting in close proximity to the brunet quarterback mere feet from her.

"Stakeout," she cheered, grinning at the boy next to her, who was intent on the camera in his hands. "How exciting! It's like an episode of Hart to Hart."

"No…" Finn sighed, exasperated. "This is not cool."

She frowned, brows furrowed. They hardly ever spent any time together lately, because their friendship took backseat to his relationship with Quinn, so she couldn't help but feel a little irritated that he was ruining what little fun she might be having. "Then why did you agree to do it?"

He lowered the camera and glared out the window at the wet ground. "Because Quinn cheated on me with Puck and then cheated on Sam with me…"

Rachel sat back, her face falling thoughtfully. She considered reminding him that there were two sides to this coin. He had cheated on Quinn with her and then helped Quinn cheat on Sam with him.

"I just wanna be sure." He lifted the camera, taking a few more shots.

Accepting Finn's faults, and Noah had informed her there were many, had always been hard for her. So instead, she shook her head and admitted, "I never understood why you got back with her. I mean i-if you can't even  _trust_ her…"

He drew back from the camera again. His brows furrowed and he turned his head a little. "I don't know…"

She sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I do…" She stared down at her lap.

He turned to look at her wonderingly.

"Because you forgive your first love anything…" Wasn't she a victim of the same mistake? Wasn't she doing that  _right now?_  Or was it truly just her desire to not go to Junior prom  _alone_ that had her encouraging this whole debacle? When had things become so muddled? When did her feelings for Finn come into question?

He stared at her, his brows arched. But when she looked up at him, he looked away.

Biting her lip, she picked up her binoculars and stared hard at the motel. She wondered what Sam was doing, if perhaps he was reading a comic book or engaged in the world of Pandora. Had he rethought his rejection of her? Did he give her any thought  _at all?_

"Do you believe in that thing called karma?" Finn wondered.

Distracted, she blinked at him. "Oh…" She furrowed her brows. " _Yeah!_ "

His eyes rolled up, like the usually did when he felt dumb, and asked her, "Can you explain it to me?"

"Uh, well, it's the law of  _physics_ , whereby… For example, if you do something to hurt someone, well then the laws of the universe will work against _you_ until youget hurt." Dismissing the subject, she wondered, "While we're here, have you given any thought to my duet ideas?"

Eyes wide, like an animal caught in a trap, he turned back to her. And she couldn't even find it in herself to be offended.

Just then, the door up in the motel opened and out stepped Sam. Rachel, brows furrowed and mouth parted, lifted her binoculars quickly to see him. Dressed in the purple and black striped hoodie she always thought complimented his complexion, Sam stood with a hand in his jeans pocket, looking back to where…  _Kurt_ had just stepped out to join him. He reached out to touch Sam's arm and said something before the fair-haired boy clapped his shoulder back and replied.

Mouth ajar and eyes wide, she gaped in shock. Not his  _type_ indeed!  _Well!_ That just proved it! The only boys Rachel Barbra Berry liked were either  _gay_ or in love with Quinn Fabray!

In the words of her loveable bubbie, ' _Oy vey!'_

Clapping his hands, Sam turned back around to walk into his motel room, and Rachel mourned the end of a relationship never begun, with a boy she'd lost before she had.

…

She forwent a MySpace video that night. Instead, Rachel spent her evening pacing her room.

Sam was gay.

 _Sam_  was  _gay_.

It shouldn't bother her. And it didn't, in a broad sense of the subject. She had two gay fathers whom she loved beyond everything and everyone. Her _best_ friend was gay. Okay, perhaps  _best friend_ was a stretch. But Kurt was a very  _close_ friend, one whom she loved and appreciated and was occasionally jealous of. So she had nothing against homosexuality. She embraced it, even. But that was before… Before Sam, her seemingly perfect suitor for the place of Rachel's Prince Charming had taken an interest in his same gender. And now… Now she was wondering if the scales would always balance this way. She'd liked five boys and two of them had been gay. And, according to Noah, even Jesse seemed questionable. Which, if that were true, though she doubted it, would even it all out.

Why? What was it about her that she kept looking toward boys that would never want her as much as she wanted them?

And why did she have to look at  _Sam_  of all boys after finally stepping out of the haze that was her Finchel fantasy? Why couldn't she pick a well rounded, heterosexual boy who could handle her tenacious talent and even offer her a mellower and laid back counterpart? Why couldn't he be the boy that showed her love was unconditional? Why couldn't he be the  _one_  boy who didn't want Quinn back or didn't want a prince of his own?

She flopped down on her bed and told herself to let it go, to let the  _idea_ of him and what he could be and what  _they_ could be go.

But when she closed her eyes that night, she thought of flushed cheeks and pink lips and cherry chapstick.

…

The following morning, Rachel found herself at a table with Mike, Tina, Finn, Quinn, Lauren, Artie and Puck, discussing what they'd learned the night before.

"What do we know about Sam anyway?" Tina wondered, her brows furrowed. "I mean, what town is he from? What state? What was his old school like?" She turned to an interested Lauren at her right and speculated, "What if he's a serial killer?"

"You guys, I'm  _telling_ you,  _Kurt_ wouldn't cheat on Blaine," Quinn piped up.

"Just like the Rumours album," Rachel offered. "I mean being apart or on the road is hard for two artists!" Her brows furrowed seriously. "Performers have this 'love the one you're with' mentality. I mean, look at all of us. Look at all the different combinations that we've had." Eyes wide, she motioned to her ex, "Finchel," She smiled, eyes darting over to Noah at her side, "Puckleberry."

"Tina Cohen-Chang-Chang," Tina added, bobbing her head side to side.

"Artittany."

"Pizes," Puck said, brows raised high like he'd thought of something brilliant.

Lauren pointed at him approvingly.

" _Guys_ ," Finn interjected, "We're sitting her squabbling over  _what?_ A rumour!"

"Finn's right," Rachel agreed. And that had nothing to do with the latent hope that perhaps Sam  _wasn't_ gay. "We need more information," she declared. Because she needed this mystery solved. Gay, bi, in love with Quinn, she wanted to  _know!_

"I don't want to get into it," Quinn said, striking her hand down.

Rachel stared at her, eyes wide in interest.

"All I'm gonna say is… Sam's  _not_  gay."

Everybody stared at her, eyes narrowed.

But instead of elaborating, she stood, took her purse, and left.

Rachel was not pleased. She should have been, seeing as now the seat next to Finn was wide open. But she had wanted answers; clear cut, straightforward, all-revealing answers for why Quinn was with Sam and why Kurt had been at Sam's motel room, and… And why he wouldn't want to go to prom with  _her!_

…

That afternoon at school, Rachel walked through the halls with a load heavy on her shoulders. She saw Sam in the distance, a beige jacket hanging over his broad shoulders, very unlike his usual attire. At first, there was confusion. But then he smiled at her, those cute lips of his spreading wide in a full grin, and she was distracted. By the flush that infused his dimpled pale cheeks and the way his blond hair fell into his eyes, and that smile that did funny things to her stomach, like there were ballerinas pirouetting inside. She grinned back, feeling her chest widen, like her heart might float right out and away from her. And then he turned the corner and her eyes followed him and there on the back of his jacket was a reason for her smile to dim and the weight of her previous worries to crash back down on her.

She walked quickly then, to the attractively dressed boy standing next to his locker, reading a book in his hands.

"Stop it," she said in greeting, halting just a few feet from him.

"Stop what?" Kurt asked disinterestedly.

Her brows knotted. "I am  _begging_ you. Sam is  _cute_ —" Very cute, actually. In fact, after hearing Quinn's declaration, she'd made a list of his many attractive qualities. "But he is  _not_ worth losingBlaine over!"

Kurt looked up, his eyes wide. "Oh how I've missed your insanity," he said, shaking his head.

"He's  _wearing_ your jacket, Kurt," she told him, pointedly. "I remember that jacket. You wore it April of last year." She turned her eyes to the corners, remembering. "You said that it was your  _Earth Day_ jacket because it was made out of recycled hemp." She inhaled deeply and held up her hands in a soothing manner. "I know how these things work. I remember when Finn and I used to date, sometimes he would leave his Letterman jacket at my house," She widened her eyes at him, waving an arm, "And I'd wear it to school the next day."

Brows lifted high, Kurt nodded at her. Still staring like she was escaped from a mental hospital. She didn't appreciate the slander she could see building in his gaze. "Okay, you need to bone up on your Fleetwood Mac-ology," he told her.

She stared, confused.

"When they made Rumours, they weren't speaking to each other," he explained. "Not even  _'pass the non-dairy creamer_.'" He shook his head. "They only spoke about the music." He shrugged. "And it was that focus that allowed them to make their masterpiece."

"You're deflecting!" she accused.

"No, I'm being a team player," he said, nodding. "And any minute spent on this vicious, hurtful and hateful gossip is a minute taken away from preparing for Nationals." He pursed his lips, closed his locker, gave her one last look and turned to walk away.

Rachel stared after him, her eyes falling. Was it wrong for her to think that Kurt had just unofficially stated that he wasn't in a relationship with Sam and therefore, Sam was  _not_ gay, as she had feared?

…

Later that night, it was Stakeout 2.0 and she had her binoculars at the ready. She wanted proof; a kiss, a grope,  _something_. She refused to ask herself why it was so important, but she had become  _invested_ in this mystery. She needed to understand Sam Evans and what was going on… And then she needed to use it to her advantage somehow. Be it getting him to date her, so long as he wasn't gay, or breaking up Finn and Quinn, because she needed a date to prom and she wasn't going  _stag!_

"Why would she say that thing about Sam not being gay?" Finn wondered. "She was… so sure about it."

"Well…" Her brows spiked. "They  _did_ date." Point one for not being gay, she thought hopefully.

He looked down at his lap and sighed. "Yeah, but the  _way_ she said it." He shook his head. "There was something else going on."

She stared, not sure what to say to make him feel better.

"The problem with dating Quinn…" He rolled his eyes. "Besides the  _mood swings_  is that… She's so…  _protective_ about her feelings, y-you never quite know where you stand with her."

"Girls like that do that to keep their power."

"You never did that," he was quick to point out.

She turned, surprised, her brows furrowed.

"I always knew what you were thinking."

She smiled, because at least there was  _something_ somebody liked about her more than Quinn.

Her happiness was short-lived, however, when Quinn herself stepped out of Sam's motel room, rubbing her hands together. She raised her binoculars to see them better and watched as Sam embraced Quinn tight. There was pang in her chest and she realized no, Sam wasn't gay. He was just that other thing that every boy Rachel liked was. He loved Quinn. And once more, it only reiterated why Rachel's interest in anything or anyone could never fight Quinn's ability to snatch it away from her, even when the vision of blonde perfection wasn't  _trying_.

She reached out, touching Finn's shoulder, offering silent apologies for how he'd found out. His head fell, his face torn, and even though this was what she wanted, she couldn't help but think… If only Quinn had stayed true to Finn, maybe she and Sam could've shared a beautiful prom together.

If only…

…

That night, Rachel did not pace. She didn't make a MySpace video. She didn't write up lists on what she thought was attractive about Sam or Finn or any other boy she dated. She crawled into bed and she told herself that all of her manipulating and her trying had only led to more heartbreak. She was giving up on boys and dating and everything. Except revenge. Retribution she liked. And it was directed at Quinn.

Yes, sure, of course there was a valid argument made in that Quinn didn't  _know_ Rachel wanted Sam and therefore she couldn't hold it against the girl. But logic was only Rachel's friend when it didn't involve her heart or a boy. So yes, she was going to ruin Quinn, bit by bit, until she knew what it felt like to have  _no one_. No boyfriend, no lover on the side, nothing.

And when either of those boys looked at Rachel for a second or a third chance, she was going to tell them no. She practiced her speech in her head as she drifted to sleep.

Only, she didn't want to admit it, but if Sam came up to her tomorrow and apologized for saying no and asked her if the offer was still on the table, she'd forgive Quinn and say yes  _immediately_. She was a sucker for soft lips, she guessed.

…

The following morning, Rachel closed her locker and jumped when she found Sam standing there. In all honesty, her first thought was that it must have been a dream and that her unsaid hope had been answered. If she pinched herself, it was subtly. And when she felt the jolt of pain, it oddly made her excited.

His brows quirked at her. "Hey…" His eyes darted away.

With a slight smirk, she couldn't pass up the chance, and asked, "Why are you talking to me?"

He laughed a little, ducking his head. And the way his hair fell across his eyes was  _wholly_  unfair. "I deserved that."

She offered a slight smile. "If it makes you feel any better, I won't be throwing around any antisemitic slurs about your religion."

He winced. "Santana's… Well, she's  _Santana_ and I guess it sounds stupid, but… I didn't  _believe_ the gold thing, but I didn't talk to you 'cause she told me not to… And I guess that's as bad as agreeing with her, so…"

She clasped her hands together. "No, I-I suppose I understand that… I'm sure if I'd been in Santana's position, one of the last people I'd like for my boyfriend to talk to would be her."

He nodded, wiping his hands on his jeans. "Look, Rachel…" He reached up to brush his bangs off his face. They'd grown rather long of late. "What happened the other day… I just…" He frowned. "I think maybe I sounded rude, but… I'm not… I'm not  _going_ to prom, y'know? So…" He held up a hand earnestly, eyes a little wide. "But I think  _you_ should and I, uh, I'm sure you'll find someone great to go with. I mean, you're pretty and you have an awesome voice and you wear dresses all the time and they're cute, so…"

Her smile brightened, chest warming at even the smallest bit of praise that he gave her.

His cheeks suffused bright pink then and he looked away, like he couldn't believe he'd said all he did.

And there was a flame of hope inside her that burned a little brighter.

"So, um, yeah, I… You won't have any trouble, y'know?"

She blew out a breath, her nose wrinkled. "Actually, and please don't take this the wrong way, I think you may have been my last option…"

His brows furrowed. "Uh, okay…?"

She hurried to explain, "Not in an 'I'll go with him if I absolutely  _must_ ' kind of way, but… I guess I supposed you were the only person left that I thought would show me a good time at prom. You know… Somebody who would make the experience worth remembering or enjoying?" She sighed, ducking her head a little and stared up at him from beneath her long lashes. "I'm aware that my personality can be off-putting, I won't argue or change that, but… Inside, there's still a  _girl_  and she wants to experience all the frivolity of this milestone as any other, so…" She shrugged her shoulders delicately. "I guess I thought that if  _you_  could take me, I would have that…"

He licked his lips, looking  _truly_ repentant. "I'm sorry…"

"It-It's  _fine_ ," she assured, putting on her stage-face. "I'm sure… I'm sure you're right and… and I'll find somebody else…" Her brows knotted, curiosity getting the best of her, as if often did. "Can I ask…  _why_ you won't be attending prom?"

He stiffened, frowning. "It's not… really… my  _thing_ …"

She pursed her lips, unconvinced. "Sam, I don't want to tell you who you are, but if I had to pick a boy out of glee club and call him 'romantic' or 'ideal' for just this kind of occasion, I'm afraid you would  _be_ that boy."

He sighed. "Just…" He reached up and dragged his fingers through the back of his too-long hair. "Good luck finding a date, okay?" He turned on his heel and fled and Rachel was left watching after him, feeling rejected for a  _second_ time by a boy she should really stop wishing would just give in to her.

The flame flickered, but even she had to admit that it hadn't yet gone out.

…

Rachel spent much of her afternoon wondering where Sam had been instead of glee club. She didn't like to admit it, but he had been on her mind a lot lately. She could admit that she had grown an unforeseen crush on him and she was nothing if not devoted to those she harbored any sort of feelings for. But she had to accept that his feelings did not mirror her own. That didn't stop her from thinking that it was only fair that he too should have to bare witness to the butchering of a Fleetwood Mac  _classic_ by Quinn and Finn, especially if he was one of the reasons behind it. If she helped _encourage_ that rift it was only because she'd been in such a distracted and very unappreciative mood since her second rejection by Sam. And possibly because if Quinn was going to leave an opening for Rachel to exact revenge, then who was she to ignore it?

So when her dads called up to her that there was a boy waiting downstairs, she immediately thought of him. Had she been more focused, she might have realized that it was very unlikely that Sam would visit. Especially since he'd mostly been avoiding even looking at her save for that one smile that she had been replaying in her mind since and the conversation that he had ended abruptly. So when she found Finn downstairs instead, she suffered a surprising pang of disappointment.

" _Finn_ …" she said, her brows furrowed. "Did we make plans for another stakeout? I don't remember…"

"Oh, um, no, uh, actually…" His shifted his feet. "I was kinda hoping you could help me with something."

She looked away and then lifted her shoulders. "I can try." She nodded her head back. "Daddy, Finn and I will be in my room. I'll keep the door open," she promised.

Climbing the stairs, she glanced back at him and wondered when going to her room with Finn no longer held the same appeal. Once she used to think about how exciting it would be to have him even sit on her bed. Her hands used to shake with the possibilities of his kiss. Now, all she could wonder was what he might want and how quickly she could return to daydreaming about a boy she wanted to know better.

Standing by her desk, she motioned for Finn to take a seat and then waited for him to explain the reason for his impromptu visit.

It took him a few minutes of wiping his palms on his jeans before he finally blurted, "I want her to feel the way  _I_ feel."

Her brows furrowed. "Can you elaborate?"

He sighed, looking away. "I just… Look, she wants me to trust her and… and I'm  _trying_ , but… I feel  _jealous_  like,  _all_ the time and I just…"

Rachel nodded understandingly. "You want her to feel jealous… So she'll understand why you're worried about her and what's going on with Sam."

He pointed at her enthusiastically. "Yeah!"

"Okay…" Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Well… Quinn is jealous of my talent, so I think  _singing_ would be the best tool…" She nodded. "Tomorrow, at glee club, I'll sing a song, a  _love_ song, and I'll make it as obvious as I can that it's directed at you, so  _Quinn_ will absolutely  _have_ to recognize that she's not the only one who has an ex waiting in the wings."

He started nodding, only to frown. "Wait, this isn't… I mean, you know I don't want us to really…"

She shook her head, smiling. "It's fine… Actually…" She inhaled deeply,  _woefully_. "I think it's time I faced the fact that I have feelings for someone… Someone who isn't  _you_  and… And even if he doesn't want me back, I can't hold that against him." She shrugged a little. "I can however use this to get back at Quinn for consistently being the light of every boy I like's life."

Confused, Finn blinked at her. "Okay, but you're gonna help  _me_ , right?"

She exhaled deeply, rolling her eyes a little. "Yes, Finn, I'm going to help you."

He grinned. "Cool."

Indeed.

…

The following day at glee club, Rachel was prepared.

"All right,  _guys!_ Who's up first today?"

Rachel threw her hand up. "Mr. Shuester." She lowered her hand when he stood in front of her. "If it's all right with you, I'd like to do my own interpretation of my  _favorite_ Fleetwood Mac song." She wiggled her shoulders excitedly.

"Great Rachel," he held a silver bedazzled microphone out to her, "Which one?"

"Go Your Own Way," she told him. "It's a song about a  _painful_ break up between Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks." She rose and walked toward the middle of the room. "Traditionally, it's sung by a man, but today," She raised her mic to them, "Rachel Berry's gong to put her  _own_ feminine twist on it." She pointed her finger at Puck, standing on the side with his guitar, and told him, "Hit it!"

Rachel was sure to pay special attention to Finn, who was at the drum station on her left. It wasn't really a hard task, if she had to admit, seeing as she'd spent the last year and a half seemingly devoting herself to that boy alone. But even she could admit that the way her skin once rippled when she sang to him was no longer present. She wasn't hurt or surprised to see his eyes keep darting to Quinn in the crowd. Instead, she wondered if Sam was watching her; if he was going to enjoy her song as much as he did others. If he would throw himself into the lyrics or sing along or if he'd grin with those cute lips of his.

" _Go your own wa-aaay_ …" She looked back at Puck, nodding his head along to the beat and strumming away on his guitar.

And she heard the group singing along to the chorus with her, and she saw Sam, air-guitaring, and her brow wrinkled, nose scrunching up as she sang, " _Another lonely day…_ " before she remembered to put her attention on the drummer again.

Circling his drums, she worked it a little, kicking her drama-meter higher, pushing the limits, and she fell into the performance, enjoying herself.

When her song ended, she was back in the center of the room, mic on its stand, as she smiled at the cheers and clapping of the others.

"Brilliant!" she heard Sam call out and her heart swelled, her smile stretching.

"Don't you think it's maybe a  _little_ inappropriate," Quinn interceded, "to sing a love song to  _my_ guy?"

"You're such a hypocrite, you little miss perfect prom queen," Rachel snapped back, exasperated. She pointed at her. "You're a  _cheater_  who cheats in cheap motels with Sam!" She motioned down to the slumped blond in the front row, who was staring at the floor now, lips pursed. So sue her if that still stung a bit!

"Nothing is going on between Sam and I!" she exclaimed.

"Enough guys," Mr. Shue told them.

"You know, I blame Sam for all this," Santana sighed. "And Rachel too, I blame her."

Arms crossed, she demanded, "What did  _I_ do?" Okay, admittedly, she may have played some part, but not anything Santana could  _prove!_

"I'm sure you did something…"

"See, I'm with Santana," Lauren piped up. "I mean, why doesn't Sam have anything to say about this?"

" _Guilt_."

"Seriously dude, what you're doing is not cool," Puck called out, cocking his head. "They both have boyfriends."

"Shut- _up_ ," Sam finally exploded. "Look, I'm not with  _Quinn_ or  _Kurt_ or any one of those guys! They're just  _helping_ me!"

"Oh is  _that_ what we're calling it now?" Mercedes asked.

"Wait, hold on," Mr. Shue interrupted, sitting forward to look at Sam. "How were they helping you out?"

Sighing, Sam turned back in his chair, struggling with his answer. "Kurt was bringing me clothes and Quinn was helping me babysit my little brother and sister," he confessed.

"Then why were you in that motel?" Finn wondered accusingly.

"Because that's where I  _live_ now," he snapped.

The room went quiet.

"My dad lost his job awhile ago, then we lost our house, and now we live in that motel, in one room."

Rachel stared, her heart breaking. Oh no,  _oh no_ , this was not  _at all_ what she'd been expecting!

Sam shoved to his feet, turning to stare at the crowd. "Are you all  _happy?_ " He held his arms out and nobody answered, nobody  _could_ answer. "Truth's finally out." With that, he turned and stalked out of the choir room.

And Rachel Berry had never been sorrier in her life.

…

Convincing the glee club, and Finn especially, that she should do this on her own had been difficult. But Rachel was nothing if not good at getting her way. She stood outside the door to room number 8, holding a duffel bag, chewing her lip and going over her speech for the fourth time since she'd parked her car. Finally, she lifted her hand and knocked on the door.

Sam answered, looking at her and then away. "Um, I'm tryin' to get my sister to sleep," was all he said before he tried to shut the door.

"Wait, please," she said, reaching out to press a hand to the door, keeping it open. She stared up at Sam with big, apologetic eyes. " _Please_ , Sam…"

"Hi, I'm Stacey," a little girl, her blonde hair tied back, introduced herself, peeking out from behind her brother's legs.

"Hi Stacey," she greeted back, smiling. "I'm Rachel."

"Well, she's up now," Sam said, opening the door.

Rachel looked up at him side-long, before stepping inside hesitantly. Her speech welled up inside her; words tripping over themselves. Finally, she burst out, "It was all my fault…"

He stared at her, brows quirked.

She hooked the duffel bag over her forearm so she could properly wring her hands. "I informed Finn of the gossip in The Muckraker and I encouraged him to stakeout your motel room in hopes of finding proof…"

He lifted a shoulder and shook his head. "Why?"

"I-I was  _hurt_ …" She looked away and chewed her lip. "When you said you didn't want to go to prom with me, I… I guess I felt rejected and then… Then when I read that article in The Muckraker, I thought you had reunited with Quinn and… Well let's just say I have unresolved issues with my every boy I take an interest in being in love with her…" Frowning, she looked down. "It's no excuse, however… You had every right to say no to me and I shouldn't have lashed out in the way I did… But the  _idea_ that Quinn had you  _and_ Finn and I had, well…  _nobody_ …" She glanced up at him apologetically. "Regardless of my reasons, I shouldn't have stoked the fire and caused you any more problems."

He stared back at her a long moment before finally sighing. "You didn't write that thing in the paper and Finn would've figured it out eventually…"

"Possibly… Although Noah has pointed out that he isn't much of a  _reader_ …" She peered around the room then, stuffed full of clothes and knickknacks, a cot folded up against one wall.

"Beats a cardboard box underneath the underpass, right?" he offered, noticing her pitying expression and trying to lighten the mood. His younger sister and brother crowded around him. "We keep the rest of our stuff in my dad's car."

Rachel stared at him searchingly. "This is everything you own?"

"We sold everything else," he replied, looking back at her earnestly.

She nodded solemnly.

"Can we watch TV?" Sam's little brother asked.

"Yeah, sure, keep it low though," he said, hauling him up from beneath his armpits and tossing him on the bed. "I think Mr. Jensen next door's on the nightshift again. You wanna snack?"

He sighed. "I'll wait." He turned on the ancient looking television with the remote.

Sam turned to Stacey. "You too," he told her, grabbing her up and tossing her over next to her brother. "Get over there." He smiled at them before turning back toward Rachel.

"I…" She blew out a breath. "I'm not sure I understand…" She looked up at him. "How did this happen?"

"Well, we moved up here… fromTennessee…" He brushed his bangs out of his eyes. "Y'know, 'cause my dad got a great job offer and…" He frowned, shaking his head. "The economy went to hell it was last ones in, first ones out."

Rachel ducked her head, feeling for him, for his family.

"We spent all our savings on the move and a down payment on the house…" He screwed up his mouth and quirked his head, staring at Rachel side-long. "You know, when the bank takes your house, they literally…" He shook his head, " _take it_." He looked away and then back at her, emotion warring in his expression. "They come by one morning and kick you outta your own house. They just…  _lock ya out_."

Her eyes filled with tears. "You could have come to us, any one of us…"

"You see how information flies around that school, right? You think everybody would've just treated me the same after they found out? I'd be even more of a  _freak_."

She flinched. "Sam… You're  _not_ a freak."

"I'm not  _cool…_ " He shook his head. "Not  _really_."

"I understand where those feelings come from," she assured, holding a hand to her chest. "But glee club is supposed to be a place of acceptance."

"Rachel…" He cocked a brow. "I just spent a week listening to everybody in glee wonder if I was getting Quinn to cheat or if I was sleeping with Kurt or…" His brows furrowed. "I think I heard Tina and Lauren talking about me maybe being a  _serial killer_ …"

She winced.

"Kurt only found out because…" He sighed. "I got a job delivering pizzas at night and happened to bring one toDalton."

Her lips pursed. "Yes, he explained that to us… He said he was bringing you some of his old clothes..."

He looked down, ashamed.

"Well, as attractive as you look in his hemp jacket, and there's no denying that, I thought perhaps you'd like something a little more  _you_ …" She lifted the duffel bag out for him. "I spoke to Noah and I think these will fit you… You're not as tall as Finn and, though not as broad as Noah, I think his clothes will sit on your frame better."

He smiled, both amused and grateful.

"Thanks." He took the bag, their hands touching and causing a shock of electricity. He flushed, ducking his head a little before he put the bag back behind him on the bed.

"So, um," Rachel took a step forward and tried not to look eager. "What about…  _Quinn?_ "

"We go to the same church," he explained, nodding. "Couldn't really hide it from her. And I kinda liked having her around to do some girl stuff with Stacey."

Rachel looked over at the sweet little girl on the bed, staring back at them, playing with the remote.

"Mom and dad are out every day pounding the pavement looking for work, but…  _nothing_." He shook his head. "I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to keep on the glee club."

Her expression fell. "But, we-we've come so far and I-I  _know_  that it's a rough time right now, but you  _can't_ quit." Her expression widened worriedly.

He shook his head, glancing away. "You don't understand…"

She stared up at him earnestly. " _Yes_ , I do," she said, nodding.

Stepping back, she walked to the door and opened it. She reached around and grabbed the leather case there, carrying it back inside to him. She placed it in front of him and brushed the invisible dust off the top. "There…" She smiled. "Quinn told us that you had put your guitar in a pawn shop, so…" She waved her hand at it once more.

His eyes widened and he looked down at her in awe before dropping to his knee and opening the case to look inside. He looked back up, his brows lifted. "Did you buy this back for me?"

She sighed deeply. "The whole glee club did."

He looked down, licking his lips and biting down on them.

"Look Sam, we will do  _whateve_ r we can to help..." she promised.

His shoulders started to shake and he brought his hand up, fingers pressing into his eyes as he sniffed.

" _Anything_ to keep you in the glee club, until you get back on your feet."

He screwed his eyes tight and tried to compose himself. Letting out an emotional breath, he looked up at her, pursed his lips and sniffled thickly. Sighing, he swiped a tear from his cheek and admitted, "First time I've cried."

Rachel stared down, her own eyes misty, and her throat tight.

She bent down and reached out hesitantly, glancing at him once before wrapping her arms around him.

He was tense a second before burying his face in her shoulder and banding his arms around her, his hands fisting the back of her yellow jacket. She felt his whole body vibrate with the frustration and sadness of it all. And she felt so awful, that she had encouraged any more drama and problems onto his plate. She rubbed his back and squeezed him tighter. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

He shook his head and sniffled against her shoulder.

The bed squeaked behind them before Stacey had crawled over and touched his shoulder.

"Don't cry, Sammy," she told him, bending to hug him from behind.

Rachel pulled back a little and cupped his face, feeling the warmth in his cheeks and the tears he'd missed beneath her palms. "We need you, Sam. Okay? And you need the music."

Stacey crawled back toward her other brother, leaving them to their conversation once more.

Sam pressed his fingers up into his eyes to stop the tears and looked up at her from his crouched position. "You know what I said…? About you not being my type?"

Her brows furrowed and she nodded.

"I lied…" He chuckled a little, lifting a shoulder. "Look, this all got really screwed up… If all of this wasn't happening, if I could  _afford_ to take you to prom…" He nodded. "I'd have said yes in a heartbeat."

Her heart fluttered. "Really?"

He smiled crookedly. "You're bossy and loud but you think my lips are cute and you don't think I'm a freak… I can't say yes to prom, but… How about coffee?"

She grinned. "Absolutely."

"Are you guys gonna kiss?" Stacey wondered from behind them.

Sam laughed, reaching up to wipe his face with his arm. "Maybe later, when I'm not all…" He motioned to his blotchy face.

Rachel beamed at him. "I will hold you to that, I hope you know."

He smiled back at her. "Good."

…

After texting the club that things had been patched up, and since the Evans' children had enjoyed quite enough pizza in the last while, Rachel sprung for them all to enjoy Chinese food, completely ignoring Sam's protests. Crowded around the motel room, they ate out of cardboard boxes and enjoyed Sam's younger brother Stevie's choice in television.

"This is a very… interesting show," Rachel offered, perched on the edge of the bed. "What did you call it again?"

He grinned at her, amused. "Sponge-Bob."

She nodded. "I believe one of our gleemates,Brittany, watches this program."

Stacey giggled. "You talk funny."

"I speak  _clearly_ ," Rachel corrected.

She covered her face with her hand and shook her head. "Your girlfriend's  _funny_ , Sammy."

He cleared his throat, looking awkward.

"I can't say I've been called that often," she offered, smoothing her hand down her lap. "Obviously I have a fantastic sense of humor. Comedic timing is very important to acting." Her brows furrowed. "Perhaps I had my target audience wrong. I had assumed that I would be appreciated more by those of an older age group… Stacey here has proven that theory false."

Sam smiled. "Rachel Berry, for ages six to ten."

"I think this really broadens my career options," she sighed, nodding. "If Broadway doesn't work out, I'll get work on a children's show…"

He shrugged, shaking his head. "It's a good idea, but I don't think you have to worry about it."

Her smile lengthened.

"What's Broadway?" Stacey wondered, bouncing in her seat.

Rachel sat up a little straighter, her eyes flashing with excitement. "It's where actors and actresses go to perform their arts for large crowds of people. Have you ever been on a stage, Stacey? Perhaps at school there were plays performed?"

She nodded.

"Well, in New York, there are many stages, and all kinds of plays. From funny to sad to romantic…" She couldn't help it if her eyes darted to Sam momentarily. "And everyone gathers to see these plays, performed by some of the most incredible actors of our generation…" She breathed deeply. "And  _I_ hope to be one of those actresses one day. I want to have my name in lights and to sing for thousands and live my life in the brightest spotlight of them all."

"You can sing?" She looked excited. "Can you sing with Sammy?"

"Well…" She turned to look at him. "I'm not sure…"

"Do 'Tale as Old as Time'!" she cheered, clapping. " _Please_ , Sammy!" She stuck her bottom lip out.

He glanced from her to Rachel and then sighed. "All right, but just this  _once_ , Stace."

She nodded happily before reaching over and grabbing the remote from her brother, turning the volume off.

Rachel placed her food down on the end table and stood. "You know the lyrics then?"

He grinned up at her crookedly. "Little sister, remember?"

"Right." She smiled, clasping her hands behind her back. "Whenever you're ready, Mr. Evans."

He chuckled, plucking his guitar up and crossing to stand next to her. He strummed a few times before he got the slow beat and nodded.

Angling her head, she smiled up at him, taking a deep breath. " _Tale as old as time… True as it can be… Barely even friends… Then somebody bends… Unexpectedly_ …"

She watched, dazzled, as he turned and sang back in a velvety tone, " _Just a little change… Small to say the least… Both a little scared… Neither one prepared_ …"

And after that it was as if everything else faded and it was just her and Sam, alone with the music, their voices melding together in an enviable show of emotion and talent. And when the final note escaped them and his hand fell still against his guitar, she stared up at him and thought,  _There you are…_  All this time she'd thought her musical soul mate had been Finn or even Jesse and admittedly, there was an undeniable chemistry between her and Noah too. But with Sam… She felt a fire in her belly and a flutter in her heart and she could tell by the look on his face that he felt it too.

Stacey clapped enthusiastically. "Maybe Sammy can be on Broadway too!" she hoped.

"Y-Yes…" Rachel nodded, clearing her throat. "I think, if he would like to, he would do wonderfully there."

He licked his lips, smiling at her. "Let's start with that coffee… and see if Broadway's where we're headed."

She grinned widely. "I think that's a wonderful idea."

And thus, though her scheming and pre-emptive planning had little consequence, Rachel indeed  _did_ find her perfect suitor. And he was neither gay nor in love with Quinn Fabray. In fact, he seemed quite interested in seeing what  _she_ had to offer and she was very happy to oblige. But, of course, that didn't change her mind on the prom matter. If she had to borrow a tux from one of her fathers and buy Sam's ticket herself, she would. Because she was going to junior prom and she would do it with her prince charming. He was no beast, but he was  _hers_. And she had plans for them.  _Big_ plans.

[ **End.** ]


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